


discussions

by Quillium



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-07-08 15:11:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19871680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quillium/pseuds/Quillium
Summary: “Are you going to eat that?” Billy grins as Batman hands him a cookie, “Thanks. So did the League decide whether or not they were going to kick me out yet?”Batman leans against the kitchen counter, “You’re being awfully calm about this,” he remarks.





	discussions

“Are you going to eat that?” Billy grins as Batman hands him a cookie, “Thanks. So did the League decide whether or not they were going to kick me out yet?”

Batman leans against the kitchen counter, “You’re being awfully calm about this,” he remarks.

“I did what I had to do,” Billy shrugs, “I don’t want to leave the League but if you’ve decided to kick me out, there’s not much I can do to change your mind.”

“We’re not quite sure what to do with you,” Batman admits, “You have any suggestions?”

“Treat this all like it never happened,” Billy reaches for a second cookie, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?”

“You’re ten years old, Billy,” Batman shifts, “Are you telling us that we ought to continue allowing a ten year old to fight among us and act like that’s fine?”

“Is this a conversation you want with me or Cap?”

“Is there a difference?”

A light laugh, “Cap has the Wisdom of Solomon but he’s still me.”

“Who would you prefer I have this conversation with?”

“You could talk to both of us.”

“Then I’ll talk to you now, and Cap later.”

Billy hops off the counter and moves to the fridge, “Most people wouldn’t listen to what a ten year old thinks.”

“I’m Batman.”

“Yeah,” Billy pours himself a glass of milk, “I guess that’s what makes you so cool. Superman’s still my favourite, though.”

“Clark is your favourite?”

“Yeah. Although what he’s doing to Conner is really mean. So maybe he’s not my favourite,” Billy frowns into his milk, “It’s complicated because he thinks he’s doing something good, but he’s just covering up for being selfish. But I get it, too. It’s just—a mess.”

“Do you want to be in the League just because Clark’s in it?”

“What? No! No way! I like the League because it’s my team. It’s—it’s a team for people like me. Like Cap. And I want to do good. The League is a place where I can do that.”

“You can join the team. If you’d prefer. Be with people closer to your age.”

“Yeah, well,” Billy hops back onto the counter, “The team is cool and all, but they’re not mine, you know? I mean, it’d be better than getting kicked out. I’d rather you demote me to the team than kick me out entirely. But they’re not my style. They’re covert ops and Cap is Cap. I’m big and powerful. I’m one of your tanks, it’d be a waste not to put me on the front line.”

“We’re trying to think of you as a person, not just a pawn.”

“I am a person. And I’m glad you’re trying to think of me as one. But I’m also a hero. It’s my job to help others, to do good. And whether or not you want to help me do that, that’s up to you.”

Batman grins. It’s a bit unsettling.

“That sounded like Captain Marvel talking there.”

“Well, I am Captain Marvel,” Billy finishes off his milk, “I know it’s up to the League in the end to figure out whether or not they want to keep me. But I’d like a chance to speak to everyone, if that’s alright.”

Batman nods, stiff, short, “I’ll see what I can do.”

“You’re on my side, then? Just like that?”

“I think you’re a hero, Billy,” Batman watches as Billy washes his cup, “And I can’t stop that. I can only decide if I want to offer you a place of support to be surrounded with fellow heroes, or cast you out for decisions you won’t stop making.”

“Thanks,” Billy puts the cup in the dishwasher to dry, “That means a lot to me.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Batman grumbles, “You still need to convince the rest of the League.”

__

“Bet I can beat you in arm wrestling,” Captain Marvel teases Clark after Diana beats him.

“I’ll have you know that Diana is stronger than she looks,” Clark grumbles.

“Of course she is, she’s the daughter of Zeus,” Cap grins, “But I’m the vessel of Zeus.”

Clark twists his lips to the side. He isn’t sure how to feel about arm wrestling a ten year old.

“Come on,” Cap raises his eyebrows, “Treat me like you usually do. Last week you wouldn’t have blinked an eye.”

“Last week I thought you were some immortal being.”

“I kind of am,” Cap tilts his head to the side, “I mean, Cap is. Billy isn’t. But I’m Cap right now.”

“You’re ten years old, Billy.”

“I’m the same hero you’ve always known.”

“You’re—“

“What makes me different from how I used to be? Or if you insist on treating me differently, from the team? I’m still a hero, Supes. I’m still the same man you’ve fought beside to save the world.”

“You’re a child.”

“You’re doing a great disservice to me by reducing me to only a child,” Cap leans forward, resting his chin on his hands, “Are you just uncomfortable with kids? Is this why you’re so mean to Conner?”

“That’s not the issue here.”

“Isn’t it? I’m ten, so you don’t know how to act around me. Before you treated me as a comrade and a friend, now you feel obligated to—what, be a good role model? Be a hero rather than a man?”

“That’s—“ Clark shakes his head, “I don’t approve of child heroes.”

“Why?”

“It shouldn’t be your job to save the world. It should just be your job to inherit it. Our goal as the League is to protect the world and… hopefully create a brighter one for the next generation. You being part of this—this team of fighters—when you should be playing or relaxing—it’s wrong.”

“So you want to stop me from being a hero.”

“That’s ideal, yeah,” Clark runs his fingers through his hair, “But I can’t, can I? You’ll be Captain Marvel whether I want you to be or not.”

“That’s right.”

“Then what do I do?”

“What do you think you want to do?”

“Support you. But how?”

“Let me stay in the League, for one,” Cap grins and holds out a hand, “And let me beat you at arm wrestling, for another.”

Clark laughs a bit and slips his hand into Cap’s, “Alright, but it’s not me who’s going to be beat.”

(It is. Captain Marvel wins with ease.)

__

Diana doesn’t need to talk about the issue. Billy feels he owes it to her anyways.

“I don’t like this,” she says as he sits down next to her, “But I know that it is not something I can change.”

“I did know you were the most against child superheroes.”

“I can’t change it,” Diana sighs, “Why not visit me in your other form? It doesn’t help your case, showing me your true form.”

“I know you value honesty,” Billy shrugs, “So it’s what I’m giving you.”

“I appreciate it.”

‘Thank you.”

“Why save me for last? Because you knew I’d come around on my own?”

“Yeah. Batman and Superman needed a little push. You already had yours, back when Robin became Batman’s sidekick.”

“That is true,” Diana holds out a hand, “Welcome to the League, Billy Batson.”

He shakes her hand, “Thank you, Diana.”

**Author's Note:**

> Oof, totally forgot to add my reasonings here.   
>  \- Diana's bit felt sort of like pulling teeth because she can understand with time--after all, she's a demigod. I'm basing her off the WW movie mostly here, so she understands Billy's bullheaded "I'm saving people and you can't stop me" mentality. She understands too well to stop him, so she accepts, because, well, what else is there to do?  
>  \- Batman understands child superheroes (see Robin). Batman made the first one, after all. He understands that the world isn't going to stop needing heroes when the OG League retires--so he sees his duty as training and acting as a mentor to the next generation, so they won't make the same mistakes/will be less likely to get hurt than the OG heroes. His dilemma with Billy, then, is does Billy need training? Should he be demoted to the team so that he can be trained? But he's clearly worked well with the League, and it works. So that's why Batman and Billy's convo plays out like that. Batman's issue is not with Cap--it's with how to best treat Billy, who is already a hero in his own right.  
>  \- Clark, on the other hand, disapproves of child heroes (basing him largely off his Superman/Shazam: First Thunder iteration here). Superman is, after all, the embodiment of hope. He believes in a brighter future, that his generation can solve it all and the next generation can rest easy. He wants the next generation to inherit the earth, that brighter future--not have to face the pain and hardships that come with being a hero. His conversation with Billy is meant to be about him realizing that Billy will be a hero, whether Clark approves or not, so he has to allow Billy to stay so they can, at least, offer a place where Billy can find support, both in fights and emotionally after they're over.


End file.
